Star Wars to be Released on Blu-Ray (Finally)

George Lucas announced today that the entire Star Wars live-action saga will be released on Blu-Ray in the Fall of 2011. All six live-action feature films will be available in the high definition format for the first time and will include documentary features and previously unseen footage. The version of the original trilogy that will be released are the versions that were shown theatrically in 1997 and digitally restored for a 2004 standard-definition DVD boxed set.

The scene has long been talked about online — a sequence that depicts Luke Skywalker assembling his new, green-bladed lightsaber prior to infiltrating Jabba the Hutt’s palace. After completing the Jedi weapon, Luke stashes it in R2-D2’s dome. What makes the Jedi deleted clip so remarkable is that it made it all the way to postproduction before it was cut, so it is a rare example of a cut scene with completed visual effects and music.

This is long awaited and fantastic news. I would expect sales of Blu-Ray players to increase greatly in the months prior to the film’s release. No word yet on whether they will be sold individually or as a box set.